Puppet Masters Don't Require Crying
by Integrity FTW
Summary: Taicho, or captain, is ten year old Kankuro's puppet. Completely self made. When young Kankuro goes to show his big sister he gets the scare of his young life.


Puppet Masters Don't Require Crying

A thick string of chakra extended from ten-year-old Kankuro's pointer finger. He couldn't help but grin as he could move his finger and his newly made puppet dance across the ground. With his brow bent in frustration he made another string from his middle finger. With a small tug and sharp blade became visible from the small puppets torso.

"It works!" He exclaimed quietly as the strings disappeared and the 6 inch long puppet feel in to a pile of wood shavings. He picked up the wooden puppet and couldn't help noticed how sloppily he had cut the wood. With a shrug he wheeled around and headed out of the door to his room. Maybe he could show Temari his puppet before she left.

Kankuro held his puppet in both hands as he slowly walked down the narrow hallway. He should give it a name. He thought hard. All the other puppets he made didnt work or had a blade.

"Taicho." He decided as he peeked around the corner to see if Temari was still at home. Kankuro would much rather just peek around the corner than walk in to see a mad Gaara. What he saw caused his coal black eyes to widen.

Temari stood a little ways in front of Gaara who arms were securely wrapped around a stuffed bear. Kankuro's sister's eyes were wide as they looked at collection of sharp utensils held but large amounts of sand. They looked an awful lot like the one they recently ate lunch with.

"Gaara, please," Temari's voice was pleading, "I need to go, so put the silverware down."

Gaara said nothing as he hugged his bear tighter and his eyes narrowed. The sharp utensils were carried closer to Temari.

Kankuro held his puppet tighter. Maybe if he made his chakra strings long enough he could deflect some of the forks...no. He shook his head and looked at the wimpy puppet in his hand. The cheap wood and play knife were nothing compared to the silver utensils. But if he didn't try and Temari got hurt… Before Kankuro could even form the chakra strings he heard Temari shriek. Kankuro shut his eyes tight knowing he was too late when he heard a thump marking the successful landing.

A surprised gasp from Gaara made Kankuro slowly open his eyes, afraid of what he would see. All of the silverware was deeply planted in the ground of the house.

_But Temari…._ Kankuro thought as his eyes scanned the room searching for his sister. What he saw he wasn't expecting either.

Behind Gaara stood a tall figure, a tall figure in a white and blue robe. Kankuro recognized who it was instantly, the Kazekage. In front of him was Temari. Her legs seemed limp and the Kazekage's hands were gripping her shoulders tightly.

"Go to your room, Temari. I need to speak with Gaara alone." The Kazekage ordered as if he were talking to a normal genin, not his daughter. Kankuro noticed this and couldn't help having bitter feelings towards this man. He wasn't even worth being called "Dad" in Kankuro's opinion.

Temari nodded her head obediently with an obvious hurt look in her eye. Kankuro had seen pain in Temari's eyes so rarely ever since Mom died it caused even more hatred for the Kazekage to boil within the young boy.

Temari turned to see Kankuro peeking from the corner. Kankuro sprinted back to his bedroom desperately trying to hide the tears welling in his eyes.

_What if the Kazekage hadn't come?_

_What if had come a minute later?_

_What if Gaara's attack was faster?_

Questions like these buzzed in Kankuro's brain as he stood in his room. Angry tears streamed down his face as he imagined results. The blood gushing out of deep gashes all over Temari's body seemed all too real. As were her eyes sightlessly gazing into nothing. Kankuro threw Taicho down into the ground. The pieces of wood shattered apart leaving nothing but the dull dagger on the messy ground.

Kankuro threw himself into his bed. If Temari had died he would have had no one. Gaara scared him. The Kazekage barely ever came home and even when he did he never did anything for Kankuro. He was always so focused on Gaara. Mom had already been dead for 8 years.

He sobbed as quietly as he could into his pillow.

_I have to stop crying!_ Kankuro thought as he tried to stop his sobs. He successfully reduced the sobbing but the tears continued to roll down his cheeks.

_Temari never cries. Not when Mom died or when Gaara hits her. _Kankuro thought as the flow of tears were slowly stopping.

_I need to be stronger._ Kankuro concluded. _Then I can become a strong ninja and I won't have to be afraid of Gaara anymore._

With that the tears stopped and Kankuro lay in his bed. He knew what he had to do and nothing would stop him. Being a master puppeteer doesn't require crying.


End file.
